Cherries star eager to avoid Hull repeat

Bournemouth midfielder Harry Arter is desperate to retain his starting spot after being dropped to the bench after the defeat to Hull.

Manager Eddie Howe made changes to his side after a disappointing 3-1 loss at Hull in January and Arter was one of the casualties.

The 27-year-old was an unused substitute in the draw with Watford in the following match and then made a late appearance from the bench in the defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace.

The midfielder has started the last two games however, defeats against Everton and Manchester City, and Arter is desperate to retain his place in the first XI after briefly dropping down the pecking order.

“It was disappointing. I won’t shy away from that. I did not like not playing,” he told the Daily Echo.

“I probably didn’t take it as well as some players do.

“I was very disappointed. But the way I went about my work was to get my head down, work hard and try to get back in the team.

“I didn’t say too much to the manager. I understand it’s a game, people have to sit out sometimes.

“I used my disappointment as my motivation to try to make sure it doesn’t happen to me again.”

A run of six Premier League games without a win has seen the Cherries drop closer to the relegation spots but Arter feels if they can perform as they did in their 2-0 defeat to City last time out they will finish clear of the bottom three at the end of the campaign.

He added: “I thought we delivered that in abundance, there wasn’t one player who didn’t give his all.

“Our physical outputs were very high and sometimes you just have to respect your opponents.

“But if we play like that for the rest of the season, and all it is, is work-rate, I have no doubt we will be fine.”